ZA200408112B

ZA200408112B - Connection of a pivotal supporting plate.

Info

Publication number: ZA200408112B
Application number: ZA200408112A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Wolfgang Metzen
Original assignee: Thyssen Krupp Bilstein Gmbh
Priority date: 2002-04-09
Filing date: 2004-10-07
Publication date: 2005-07-05
Also published as: MXPA04009876A; CN1646410A; BR0308969B1; WO2003084857A1; EP1497220A1; BR0308969A; AU2003223964A1; DE10215644A1

Description

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Krupp Bilstein GmbH 99510 ) 58256 Ennepetal

Connection of a pivotable support plate

Description

The invention relates to a connection of a pivotable support plate to a vehicle jack ' according to the preamble of claim 1.

Support plates on vehicle jacks, which are positioned at the jacking point under the base of a vehicle which is to be raised, are frequently connected to the corresponding support elements of the vehicle jack in such a manner as to be able to pivot in a transverse manner with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Asa result, it is guaranteed that the support plate contacts the underside of the vehicle correctly, irrespective of the position of the vehicle jack in the direction towards the vehicle middle and irrespective of the height of the vehicle being raised.

It is known from DE-GM 74 14 229 to use draw or compression springs connected between the support plate and support element to set a specific starting angle position of the support plate with respect to the support element.

A disadvantage of this design resides in the fact that it is extremely costly to connect the spring, especially when in the case of fundamentally identical vehicle jack types different jacking points are to be provided for the support plate under the vehicle. This is particularly the case, when for identical vehicle types, for example at the factory the ground clearance of the vehicle is reduced or in the case of off-road vehicles greater ground clearance is required. In order to be able to modify such vehicle jacks different articulation points are provided on the support plate or the support element, which increases the costs of manufacture and storage for such vehicle jacks.

PY

The object of the invention is to simplify the connection of a pivotable support plate to : the support element of a vehicle jack, in which the starting angle of the support plate with respect to the support element can be predetermined as desired.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by virtue of the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are described in the claims 2 to 4. ’ The advantages achieved with the invention reside particularly in the fact that the predetermined jacking angle of the support plate with respect to the support element 1s only determined by virtue of the angle between the ends of the helical spring. The articulation points both on the support plate and also on the support element remain identical. Furthermore, the spring can be mounted in a substantially more convenient manner as the tangentially protruding ends of the helical spring only require to be inserted into the attachment points formed preferably as holes, apertures or metal brackets on the support plate or support element. Particularly in the case of the support plate being formed from synthetic material, such holes or apertures can be provided directly in the part. Where the pivot joint is formed as a pin which penetrates brackets of the support plate and the support element, the helical spring can as a further advantage be installed with its coils wound around the pin. In the case of this advantageous embodiment the helical spring is also fixed in a precisely central manner.

An exemplified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and is described in more detail hereinunder, in which:

Figure 1 shows a pivot arm vehicle jack in the collapsed state and in the jacking position,

Figure 2 shows a vehicle jack in accordance with Figure 1 in the maximum lifting position,

Figure 3 shows the enlarged illustration of the lifting end of a vehicle jack as shown : in Figure 1 and

Figure 4 shows the front view of Figure 3.

The pivot arm vehicle jack described hereinunder is only one type of vehicle jack. The ’ invention, however, can be used in all types of vehicle jacks, especially when the jacking point on the vehicle moves with respect to the support element of the vehicle jack from the contact angle as it is raised.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a pivot arm jack with a stand leg 1 and a support arm 3, which is connected thereto via an articulated joint 2 in such a manner as to be able to rotate, as a support element. The support arm 3 is raised with respect to the stand leg 1 by means of a threaded spindle 4. The stand leg 1 stands with a stand foot 5 on the ground 6. At the free end of the support arm 3 there is disposed a support plate 8 which can pivot by means of a swivel pin 7 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which support plate is placed in a receiving means 9 disposed under the vehicle base and raises the vehicle.

Figure 1 illustrates the support arm in two positions. The lowest position illustrates the vehicle jack in the collapsed position, as it is stored in the vehicle. The upper position illustrates the vehicle jack placed in position and in fact in the position with an unloaded vehicle and undamaged tyres. This is the position in which the vehicle jack must be used most frequently, for example when changing tyres from summer tyres to winter tyres.

This is also the position in which as described hereinunder, the zero setting of the angle between the support plate 8 and the support arm 3 1s defined.

Figure 2 illustrates the vehicle jack in its maximum lifting position.

As is particularly evident from Figures 3 and 4, the support arm 3 extends at its free end to become the two brackets 10, 11 which are penetrated by a pin 12 which forms the

@ swivel pin 7. The pin 12 also penetrates the brackets 13, 14 disposed on the support plate . 8. The support plate is produced as an injection moulded part from a hard and high- strength synthetic material. It comprises a planar head 15 which is rounded on the side.

This head 15 extends downwards to become the two previously mentioned brackets 13, 14 which are penetrated by the likewise previously mentioned pin 12, so that the support plate 8 is attached on the support arm 3 in such a manner as to be able to pivot. Free . space is available between the brackets 13, 14. This free space serves to receive the coil 16 of the helical spring 17. The coils 16 wind around the pin 12 at a specific distance so ) that they do not become clamped against the pin 12 when the helical spring twists together. The helical spring 17 ends at two ends 18, 19 which extend tangentially out of the coils 16 of the helical spring 17. One of these ends 18 is inserted into a bore 20 which is provided in the support plate 8, whereby the helical spring 17 is connected in a non-positive manner to the support plate 8. The other end 19 of the helical spring 17 is inserted through a bracket 22 stamped out of the end wall 21 of the support arm 3. Thus, the helical spring is likewise connected in a non-positive manner to the support arm 3.

The angle of the ends 18, 19 with respect to each other, which in the exemplified embodiment deviates slightly from 180°, determines the angle position of the support plate 8 with respect to the support arm 3 when there is no load on the vehicle jack. This is preferably the jacking position for the vehicle jack below the vehicle, as described earlier.

As soon as the support plate 8 is loaded by the vehicle weight, it positions itself in every pivot or raised position of the vehicle or the support arm or of the vehicle jack in a planar manner below the counter surface in the receiving means 9 on the underside of the vehicle. This also occurs when the jacking position of the vehicle jack lies lower than the previously described position, i.e. also in the case of defective tyres and/or a loaded vehicle. The resilient force is designed such that the helical spring is constantly untwisted and twisted by the vehicle weight without producing any substantial resilient force. However, as soon as the vehicle jack is relieved of the load, the spring always pivots the support plate 8 back into the originally provided jacking position.

® . The above described solution comprises the advantage that the unloaded angle position of the support plate 8, with respect to the support arm 3, can be set as desired and determined only by the shape of the helical spring 17. The angle position can be adjusted to suit the requirements in both directions by opening or closing the coils 16 of the helical spring 17.

The support plate 8 is assembled on the support arm 3 in a most convenient manner. ) Once one of the ends 19 of the helical spring 17 has been inserted into the bracket 22 of the end wall 21 of the support arm 3 the support plate 8 is placed with its bore 20 onto the other end 18 of the helical spring 17. In so doing the brackets 13, 14 of the support plate 8 slide between the brackets 10, 11 of the support arm 3. The pin 12 is then inserted through the bores in the brackets 10, 11, 13, 14 and the coils 16 of the helical spring 17 and wedged in or riveted on the end 24 which is not provided with a head 23.

In the exemplified embodiment the bore 25 which is penetrated by the pin 12 and which passes through the brackets 13, 14 of the support plate 8 is formed as an elongated hole.

As a result it is achieved in an advantageous manner that the support plate 8 can tilt within limits with respect to the support arm 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

This means that by inclining the vehicle forwards or backwards or by longitudinally moving the vehicle no lateral collapsing forces are exerted on the vehicle jack.

®

List of designations 1. Stand leg 2. Articulated joint 3. Support arm 4, Threaded spindel . 5. Foot 6. Ground 7. Swivel pin 8. Support plate 9. Receiving means 10. Bracket 11. Bracket 12. Pin 13. Bracket 14. Bracket 15. Head 16. Coil 17. Helical spring 18. End 19. End 20. Bore 21. End wall 22. Bracket 23. Head 24. End 25. Bore

Claims

1. Connection of a support plate (8) which is connected in such a manner as to be able to pivot by means of an articulated joint to the end of a support element of a vehicle jack, wherein the support plate (8) is moved into a starting angle position with respect to the support element by means of a spring, characterised in that the spring is in the : form of a helical spring (17) having ends (18, 19) which run out tangentially from the coils (16) and is connected respectively by one of the ends (18, 19) to the respective one attachment point of the support plate (8) or of the support element.

2 Connection as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that as an articulated joint a pin (12) is provided which penetrates brackets (10, 11, 13, 14) of the support plate (8) and the support element, and the coils (16) of the helical spring (17) wind around the pin (12).

3. Connection as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the attachment points are formed on the support plate (8) and/or the support element as holes, apertures or metal brackets in which lie the ends (18, 19) of the helical spring (17).

4. Connection as claimed in any one or several of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the support plate (8) is formed from synthetic material